Gardening is an activity enjoyed by many people. It is also an activity that traditionally requires certain physical demands from the gardener, including crawling, squatting, and kneeling in the garden. In general, the gardener must be able to physically roam through the garden, often on all fours, in order to properly perform most gardening tasks. For those who enjoy gardening, the onset of a physical disability or the effects of aging may prevent the person from being able to handle the physical requirements of gardening.
Gardening is traditionally done outdoors. In some geographical areas, it is impossible to grow certain plants outdoors due to climate and/or soil conditions.
Gardening generally requires a significant amount of space. In urban areas, for example, where space is limited, it may not be possible to have a garden.
A solution to the above issues regarding gardening is to use a container garden, which is a container of some type in which plants, flowers, shrubs, fruits and/or vegetables are grown. Containers allow you to enjoy plants in areas where a traditional garden is awkward or impossible. Some examples of where container gardens are used include small backyards, on apartment patios, inside homes, on rooftops, on decks, on balconies, on the grounds of hospitals and retirement homes, around shopping malls, and along streets adjacent buildings. Such a container garden makes it easier for a disabled or older gardener to reach the planting area. In addition, container gardens may also be located indoors and in tight spaces, allowing certain plants to be grown in otherwise impossible places.
Despite the benefits of container gardening, an issue with using a container to grow plants is that the container may only hold a certain amount of water at a time, which may not be enough for certain plants in the container. Such a container may require frequent watering. Conversely, the container may not allow excess water to drain, which is an issue for plants requiring less moisture. Also, containers are usually small in size and designed to be portable, and may contain only one plant or very few plants.